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Category: News and Politics
Oakland Park dedicating park to late bassist
Late musician raised in city
By Andrew Leins
Special Correspondent
August 10, 2008
Well-known bass player Jaco Pastorius, who grew up in Oakland Park, died in 1987 at age 36. And now his hometown is dedicating a park to him.
Jaco Pastorius Park will include open spaces and trees lining a walkway, a place for a walk or quiet meditation. The park is scheduled for completion by Oct. 31, but project manager John Perez hopes to have it ready in time for Oakland Park's Oktoberfest, set for Oct. 4.
"If everything goes well and we don't have any storms, we should have it ready for Oktoberfest," Perez said.
The park will have an open lawn area and a walkway that winds around the site. The park will be just north of the intersection of Northeast 38th Street and Dixie Highway, at the south end of a triangular plot of land.
"I'm very excited about this project," Perez said. "It's going to be very pretty. Parks are what we have to offer our residents, and I think they'll be proud of this park."
Broward County provided funding for the park with the condition that it be a passive park, which means no athletic amenities or playgrounds. The cost for the park is $892,022.
A community center will be converted into a multiuse facility where social events can take place. The interior will be redone, and a kitchen and outdoor restrooms will be added. The cost of this renovation is $633,000, and the scheduled completion date is March.
City officials also are hoping to secure funds to develop the north part of the lot. The north end will be mowed and cleaned up by the time the park opens. There is a building on the land that the city would like to develop into an arts center.
"We are still in the brainstorming phase," Perez said. "We are thinking about how we can incorporate the building into the overall plan. One idea is to make an arts center for children, with a focus on music, since the park is named after Jaco Pastorius."
At a recent meeting, residents gave their input on the new park.
"Mainly the residents were concerned about safety," Perez said. "They wanted to make sure that all areas of the park are visible and well lit. They don't want people doing things they shouldn't be doing at the park."
Resident Nancy Klein said she thinks the park also should include shelters in case of rain.
"I think the arts center is a good idea," Klein said. "I like to attend performances by kids at the schools."
One of the problems with the site is it's next to the Florida East Coast Railway.
"Unfortunately, the railroad is something we have to live with, but the trains don't pass by there very often, and we'll be looking at ways in which we can mitigate the sound from the trains," Perez said.
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
9:36 PM
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